Page:Dictionary of Indian Biography.djvu/344

  and Damascus : wrote The Desert of the Exodus, 1871 : a history of Jerusalem etc., etc. : became Lord Almoner's Professor of Arabic, 1871 : lectured on Oriental languages at Cambridge : wrote an Arabic grammar, and manual, and a Persian dictionary : also translated the Koran, and Arabic poetry : wrote a life of the Caliph Haroun Alrashid : revised Henry Martyn's New Testament in Persian : wrote for the Encyclopedia Britannica : called to the bar from the Middle Temple, 1874 : wrote from 1881 for daily and weekly journals in London : sent in June, 1882, on a secret mission to the Bedouins in the desert via Jaffa : at first successful, but later was treacherously led into an ambush, and, on Aug. 11, 1882, was shot with his two companions. Gill and Charrington : their remains were buried in St. Paul's Cathedral in April, 1883.

PALMER, JOHN (1767–1836)

Born Oct. 8, 1767 : son of Lt- General W. Palmer, Military Secretary to Warren Hastings : was intended for the Navy, and took part in the naval actions on the Coromandel coast against Admiral Suffrein (q.v.) : left the Navy in 1783 and joined the firm of Burgh, Barber & Co. : became sole manager, as Palmer & Co. : and was styled the "Prince of British merchants" : he had great public spirit, and gave his support to J. S. Buckingham (q.v.) : he had intended to leave India in 1801–2, but losses compelled him to return : his firm failed in 1830 : he died, universally respected and regretted, Jan. 21, 1836 : his marble bust was erected by subscription in the Town Hall at Calcutta : "The friend of the poor" being inscribed on his tomb.

PALMER, WILLIAM ( ? –1814)

Lt-General : entered the Bengal Army from the King's service in 1766, joining the 3rd N.I. in 1767 : was Military Secretary to Warren Hastings for several years before 1782, when he became Resident at Lucknow : at Sindia's Court, 1794–8 : and at Poona, 1798–01 : afterwards he commanded at Monghyr : died at Berhampur, May 20, 1814.

PALMER, WILLIAM (1780–1867)

Born 1780 : son of General William Palmer, Military Secretary to Warren Hastings : brother of John Palmer (q.v.) : founded, 1814, the great banking-house of Palmer & Co. at Hyderabad, in which the Rumbolds were partners : his heavy financial transactions with the Nizam ended in his ruin, and in the censure of the Governor-General : died 1867.

PARKE, SIR WILLIAM (1822–1897)

Son of Charles Parke : educated atEton : entered the Army, 1840 : served in the Crimea : Lt-Colonel, 1855 : in the mutiny, as Brigadier, commanded a Brigade of the Rajputana Field Force, 1858–9 : commanded the assault at Kotah : in the Central India operations, in the pursuit of Tantia Topi : A.D.C. to the Queen : C.B. : General, 1882 : held commands in England : K.C.B., 1887 : died March 29, 1897.

PARKER, SIR GEORGE, BARONET ( ? –1857)

Second son of Vice-Admiral Sir William George Parker, Bart : educated at Addiscombe : went out to India in the Army, 1833 : became Baronet, 1852, on his brother's death : was Magistrate at Cawnpur in 1856–7 : did not abandon his house during the siege : died of sunstroke, July 6, 1857 : Major.

PARKER, SIR GEORGE ARTHUR (1843–1900)

I.C.S. : son of Rev. Richard Parker : born Feb. 28, 1843 : educated at Uppingham and Trinity Hall, Cambridge : went out to Madras, 1863 : District Judge of Tanjore : Puisne Judge of the High Court, Madras 1885–96 : knighted : died June 5, 1900.

PARKER, HENRY MEREDITH (1796?–1868)

Said in his youth to have been a violinist at Covent Garden Theatre : through Lord Moira's influence, obtained a clerkship in the Commissariat in the Peninsula : entered the Bengal Civil Service, and rose to be a Member of the Calcutta Board of Customs, Salt, and Opium (merged in the Board of Revenue) : retired in 1842 : entertained at a farewell dinner at the Sans Souci Theatre in Park Street, Calcutta : wrote verses under the nom de plume of "Bernard Wycliffe," and published, under his own name. The Draught<section end="Parker, Henry Meredith" />